The first Graffiti Spray Off organized by Lee County Sheriff’s Office community coordinator Andrea Adams as part of the Make a Difference Day celebration at the park. This event was due to the sheriff’s campaign to deter graffiti on the walls of buildings and other public places in Lehigh Acres.
Nine participants were expected to produce art with the theme of unity. But only three showed up. The event unfortunately coincided with the ACT testing, Adams said.
Jose Guzman, a junior art student at East Lee County High School, was declared the winner. His work showed the silhouettes of a man and a boy walking toward a brighter future.
As the winner, he now has the opportunity to paint a mural on the wall of the community meeting room at the LCSO substation on Homestead Road. He and the runners-up also will receive free art lessons and a chance to paint at an art event next year in Fort Myers.
Angelica Salinaz, an East Lee senior, took second place with her mother and child image representing unity.
Debbie Orozco, also a senior at East Lee, was third. She used spray paint to show a soldier reuniting with his child.
Lorenzo Perez a former graffiti vandal in New York City met with the students and quickly created a canvas with the word “WOW” in balloon like pink letters. He now works as a graffiti artist part-time doing projects on request, painting cars and creating T-shirts. His Naples-based business is called Low PRZ.
Perez was the invited judge for the event.